Be Singled Minded (1)

'A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.' James 1:8

The Bible says, '...he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways' (vv. 6-8 KJV). Peter Marshall, former chaplain to the U.S. Senate, prayed, 'Give us clear vision that we may know where to stand, and what to stand for.' A dream that isn't clear won't help you get anywhere. What do you want to accomplish? What do you want to contribute? Who do you want to become? In other words, what does success look like for you? If you don't define it, you won't be able to achieve it. Most people don't get what they want because they don't know what they want. They haven't defined their dream in clear and compelling detail. One author writes: 'The indispensable first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want! Instead of saying, "I want to lose weight," say, "I will weigh 13 stone by 1st June." Instead of saying, "I want to get out of debt," say, "I will pay off all credit card balances by 31st December". Instead of saying, "I need to improve my leadership," say, "I will read one leadership book every month." Being specific doesn't necessarily mean having every little detail thought out before you move forward. But your main goal should be clear. The rest will unfold as you move forward, making adjustments as you go.' The question you need to answer is, 'Am I single minded?'

Keys to Answered Prayers

'...Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.' John 16:24

If your prayers are not being answered, ask yourself: 1) How is my relationship with the Lord? 'If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me' (Psalms 66:18 KJV). Anything that adversely affects your relationship with God also affects your prayers. Friendship gives you favour; intimacy gives you access. Jesus said, 'If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you' (John 15:7 NKJV). 2) How strong is my faith? 'Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is...a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him' (Hebrews 11:6 NKJV). Notice three words: a) 'Believe.' God's deepest longing is to be believed, regardless of emotion or circumstance. b) 'Diligently.' When you pray, put your heart and soul into it. Paul speaks of 'labouring...in prayer' (Colossians 4:12 KJV). c) 'Him.' God is not some 'force out there', He's your heavenly Father Who '...knows that you need all these things' (Matthew 6:32 NKJV). Your highest priority should not be getting your needs met, but building your relationship with God. 3) Am I showing patience? 'Until God's time finally came-how God tested his patience!' (Psalms 105:19 TLB). Joseph was tested by the very promise God gave him. Can't you hear satan whisper, 'I thought the dream said you were supposed to be prime minister; what are you doing in prison?' But it only looks like a prison; in reality, it's the birthplace of destiny. Joseph saw God's promise fulfilled-in God's time. And you will too!

Handling Temptation

'Keep your heart with all diligence...' Proverbs 4:23

We all have our battlegrounds; in some cases they're things we surrendered to years ago that now lurk in our innermost thoughts. That's why the Scriptures warn, 'Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.' Max Lucado writes: 'I'm at a desk in a hotel room far from home. The voices that encourage are distant; the voices that entice are near. A placard on my nightstand invites me to the lounge "to make new friends in a relaxing atmosphere". Another on top of the TV promises late-night movies that will "make all my fantasies come true". In the phone book several columns of escort services offer "Love away from home". Voices! Some for pleasure, some for power. The world hammers at your door; Jesus taps. The world promises fleshly pleasure; Jesus promises us a quiet dinner...with Him: '...I will come in and eat with him, and he with me' (Revelation 3:20 NIV). Which voice will you obey?' You ask, 'How should I handle tempting situations?' In two ways: First, by filling your mind with Scripture so that your first response is always, 'It is written.' Second, by keeping your eyes on Jesus. Lesley Durkin writes, 'My father used to put a bit of meat on the floor near his dog and say, "No!" The dog never touched it. But he never looked at it either, because if he did the temptation to disobey would have been too great. He just kept looking at my father's face.' Keep your eyes on Jesus. 'Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame' (Psalms 34:5 NIV).

A Callous Spirit

'...You do not know what manner of spirit you are of.' Luke 9:55

The disciples had a problem with their attitude, and Jesus 'called them on it' six different times in two chapters. Let's look at each and see what we can learn: A callous spirit. Instead of believing Christ to feed the crowd with five loaves and two fishes, they said to Jesus, 'Send the multitude away' (Luke 9:12 NKJV). One of the dangers of succeeding in ministry is that you can end up loving crowds but not really caring for individuals. Or wanting contributors, but not wanting to spend time meeting people's individual needs. Years ago a man decided to visit the churches of two well- known television ministers he liked. After hearing the first, he asked if he could say hello to him. But the minister's 'handlers' said no, suggesting he phoned to arrange an appointment. Disappointed, he went to hear the other minister, and was invited to lunch with him following the service. Feeling valued, he handed the minister a cheque for four million dollars. (This is a true story.) You must always be approachable, available, and affirming. You must keep the personal touch. True, you can't personally minister to all who are sick and counsel all who are hurting. As a pastor, having quality time to prepare sermons and Bible studies must be a top priority. But Jesus was '...touched with the feeling of our infirmities...' (Hebrews 4:15 KJV) because He mixed and mingled with us. Only as you stay in touch with people's needs, can God use you to meet those needs in real time. The saying goes, 'People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.' So, do you care?